EastEnders aired a hugely special episode about consent on Thursday (November 29), and it is already being called one of the greatest in the BBC soap’s history.
The half-hour episode focused solely on Ruby Allen (Louisa Lytton) watching her neighbours debating the issue of consent in the Vic after reading about a sexual assault in the newspaper — without initially knowing that it was about her.
Digital Spy has called the half-hour groundbreaking for its exploration of this important topic, but the instalment also broke from the traditional format of the soap in other ways too.
It opened and closed with slow-motion musical montages set to classic soul songs, with the opening scene reflecting a happy mood in the Vic and the closing showcasing the shattered peace after Ruby’s revelation.
Aside from the huge praise that the episode received, a recurring theme popping up on social media was fans wondering about the songs used in each montage:
We can solve this one for you! The song playing during the opening montage as the camera passed through happy punters in the Vic was ‘Straight from the Heart’ by the ‘Soul Queen of New Orleans’ Irma Thomas — buy it by clicking here.
The mournful track over the closing montage was iconic jazz singer Nina Simone’s 1964 version of ‘Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood’, which you can buy by clicking here.
Ruby actress Louisa Lytton explained prior to the episode airing that producers were hoping that shaking up the format would help it make a bigger impact on viewers.
“It’s different because the whole episode is different characters’ views on rape and consent – we are just trying to show it from everybody’s angle,” she explained. “It’s also shot differently. It’s a really different episode. It’s not what you normally see on EastEnders.”
EastEnders continues on Friday (November 30) at 8pm on BBC One.
Rape Crisis England and Wales works towards the elimination of all forms of sexual violence and sexual misconduct. If you’ve been affected by the issues raised in this story, you can access more information on their website or by calling the National Rape Crisis Helpline on 0808 802 9999. Rape Crisis Scotland’s helpline number is 08088 01 03 02.
Readers in the US are encouraged to contact RAINN, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800-656-4673.
Digital Spy Soap Scoop video – hit play below for all the latest EastEnders spoilers, as Jean threatens Alfie over his baby secret and Mel makes another discovery about Ray.
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